There is a lot of top baseball talent in high schools across America. High School Illustrated surveyed the contenders and reports on these three top student athletes. 1 Ethan Hankins / Cumming, GA With a fastball consistently in the mid 90’s, young Hankins challenges every batter at the mound. It’s a tough day as a right-handed hitter against Ethan, as …

We depend on sight more than any other of our senses to maneuver through the space around us. In a single glance, lasting a fraction of a second, our eyes work with our brains to tell us the size, shape, color, and texture of an object. They let us know how close it is, whether it’s standing still or coming …

By Sean Stroh Chris Carnes recalls quite vividly the moment he knew his hobby became an obsession. “I had been fishing since I was old enough to walk but I didn’t do much bass fishing until I moved down to South Carolina when I was about eight years old,” Carnes said. “I joined a few different youth clubs, won the …

By Stan Popovich Some athletes who do not perform well at their event may have a difficult time in getting over their most recent loss. As a result, here are a list of techniques that an athlete can follow in staying optimistic for their next event. First, do not make excuses or blame others for your defeat. Many athletes tend …

By Elizabeth Gullett Mikaela Foecke is an incredibly powerful volleyball player, whose humble and down to earth demeanor is inspiring to say the least. She knows that her power comes from being a team player, and is therefore not one to take all the credit for her accomplishments. Her small hometown of West Point, as well as the surrounding region …

By Natavia Howell It must feel great to be a local celebrity in a small town where everyone knows your name. For this young athlete, she has this experience every day. She’s an 18-year old high school senior who stands 6’3″ tall and has already had much success in her athletic career. Mikaela talked about her own successes, but what’s …

5 Ways to Get Your 5 a Day You may have heard that you should eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day — which works out to a total of about 2 cups. But experts actually recommend getting even more than that amount. There are no limits on the quantities of tasty fruits and veggies you can enjoy …

By Noor Jahanshahi As a senior at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in Rolling Hills Estate, California, Brooke Vines is capping a high school softball career that began when she was in first grade in local recreation leagues. Ranked seventh in the nation for girls softball and heading to the University of Tennessee to play softball as a Volunteer, Brooke …

by Catrina Shade and Russell O. Karr Brooklyn Mitchell confidently declares that she enjoys Elevate because “it has been helping me develop myself as a person since 7th grade and now I am in 10th grade. I like the training I receive, it has made me a better basketball player and a better person.” Likewise, David Williams, who is in …

You’ve probably heard countless times how exercise is “good for you.” But did you know that it can actually help you feel good, too? Getting the right amount of exercise can rev up your energy levels and even help improve your mood. Rewards and Benefits Experts recommend that teens get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity each …

by Dominique Waldron What makes a great basketball player? His versatility across the entire court? The strength he has developed to stand against bigger players? Perhaps it is his humility to acknowledge his own superior skills and play and yet to acknowledge and fully appreciate the support and power of the full team and the contributions of each of the …

Katie Ledecky Prepares for Olympic Gold by Russell O. Karr Katie Ledecky in the best swimmer in the world – male or female. A partial listing of her accomplishments illustrates her dazzling swimming skills: USA Swimming National Team member, fourteen-time USA Swimming National Champion, winner of ten gold medals in major international competitions including the 800 M Free gold at …

Learning how to focus and get something done is about more than just good grades — it’s the foundation for success in life. Mastering the skills of getting organized, staying focused, and seeing work through to the end will help in just about everything you do. Get Organized Organization is the first step. It makes everything else a little easier. …

By Yasmeen Alshabasy On November 14th at 2 o’clock, John Doe was found dead in his apartment, and there was a breach at a retail store, Bullseye. There were no visible clues, but an Android mobile phone was collected at the scene and passed to Umesh Padia, Kent Ma and Jonathan Ni for forensic analysis. They knew that Black Collar …

By Madeline Stokell Lexie Scott is a senior at St. Francis Catholic High School in Gainesville, Florida. For years, she has defied the odds by making her way in a male-dominated sport, football. Now, she’s a kicker on the Wolve’s Varsity team. High School Illustrated talked with Lexie to see just how she got to where she is today. How …